“A bodyguard?!”

His brows bumped together, crumpling his angelic face into a scowl. The frustrated man stood in the middle of a luxurious room– its antiquity, class and exquisite furnishing adequate for an owner of a million dollar company.

“He’s a protection professional, Jaejoong, though you can call him that.” The man sitting behind a white wooden executive desk had his hands clasped in front of him. His composure contrasted his son who stood flabbergasted in front of him. “From now on he will accompany you and he will protect you from potential threat. You can trust him.”

“Protection? I don’t need ‘protection’!” The boy exclaimed, fuming in his designer leather boots and jacket. ”You just want somebody to keep an eye on me and report to you everything I do and every place I go!”

“Maybe.” His father shrugged his Versace laden shoulders, a slight smirk apparent on his lips. Jaejoong snarled.  Dealing with his father was like dealing with a dictator; protesting against him would be like beating his head against a wall.

Good thing he knew the one full-proof way to win an argument against such dictatorship.

“Mom!”

“Jin Moo. Stop aggravating your son.” The wife, Mrs. Kim Youngae, intercepted. She was standing beside her husband with a hand placed on his shoulder. It was nothing new to her: Her son being overly querulous and her husband easily making his son even more agitated. They were two kids she`s doomed to take care of for the rest of her life.

Not that she minded.

“Joongie, please understand. This is for your own good. Your father and I are only looking out for your safety.” She explained to her son, genuine concern visible in her eyes. Jaejoong pouted, expecting his mom to side with him and tell his father how stupid the idea was.

“B-But why? I’ve lived in America for years yet you never bothered getting me any bodyguard. Why now that I’m back home, closer to you?” His voice was a little gentler as he spoke to his mother.

Though he lived in a separate apartment when he got back home in Korea, it was still different with him living in a foreign country oceans apart from his parents. He couldn’t understand why they would pay someone to practically stalk him 24/7.

“Tell me, what is this ‘potential threat’ you’re talking about huh? Why did you suddenly have this crazy idea of hiring me a bodyguard?” The question was now directed to his father, who’s now getting more and more impatient by the minute.

“Jae-“

Their conversation was cut when a knock resounded from the door.

“Sir, he’s here.” They all turned towards the door where the president’s secretary stood. Kim Jin Moo sighed in relief, not wanting to answer any more of his son’s questions.

“Good, send him in.”

The female secretary bowed before stepping aside to let the visitor in. Jaejoong turned to face his parents once again, not waiting to see who’d stepped in. Instead he kept glaring at his father, shooting him an I-hate-you-I’ll-make-you-regret-this look.  The other man raised an eyebrow, grimacing an I’d-love-to-see-you-try in return. The two grown gentlemen’s muted conversation went unnoticed by Mrs. Kim as she smiled and anticipated to greet the man to whom they will entrust their one and only treasure.

“Yunho!” The father and son stare-off was cut by Youngae`s call as they both turned to the said man.

A young man—or at least, younger than Jaejoong expected—stepped in. He wasn’t the overly buff bouncer type that Jaejoong expected– the ones that looked scary whose composition was 95% muscle and 5% wit. Instead, the man was slim but built, having the perfect cuts of muscles in the perfect places. He was taller than Jaejoong and the shorter man failed to stop his eyes from taking a quick glance at his mile-long limbs. Broad and firm shoulders were clothed in a sleek black suit over a white button up shirt, perfected by a matching black necktie. His tall and decorous stature and sharp looks made him easily pass more as a chaebol instead of a bodyguard, completely different from…

Jaejoong scorned as Yunho stepped in and joined the Kim’s circle. He scrutinized his would-be babysitter. He sure looked the part, Jaejoong thought.

Not that he was impressed.

Not with the man`s long legs, his perfect shade of tan and striking features.

Nope, not one bit.

Maybe a bodyguard isn’t such a bad-

“Kim Youngae-ssi.” Jung Yunho bowed as he greeted Youngae. Jaejoong flinched as he was suddenly woken from his wavering resolve.

That was close.

The newcomer didn’t spare Jaejoong a look.

“Come on Yunho, stop being so formal and give me a hug!” before he could refuse, Mrs. Kim had already made her way to Yunho and embraced the tall man. Jaejoong raised an eyebrow, surprised by their familiarity.

“It’s nice to see you again, Youngae-ssi.” He kept straight, only returning the embrace with a gentle pat on her back to not seem overly familiar. Mrs. Kim pulled back with a smile still on her face.

“You look so well, Yunho. It’s been a long time since we last saw you.”

He replied with a modest smile. “I can say the same, Youngae-ssi”

Yunho then turned to the president seated behind the white wooden desk and bowed.

“Kim Jin Moo-ssi. It’s nice to see you.”

Mr. Kim chuckled. “You have not changed at all, Jung Yunho. Still so well-mannered, so disciplined! Unlike some kid I know…” his glance trailed to the forgotten figure that stood beside Yunho. Jaejoong had his arms crossed and his weight on his left foot, watching impatiently as the three had their oh-so-happy reunion.

It was true, though, because as the two stood side by side in front of the couple, their differences were salient: Yunho looking strict in his neat suit and clean haircut while Jaejoong had a grunge garb which composed of a leather jacket over a low rising top, matched with ripped jeans, and leather boots.  

Jaejoong looked at his father with great distaste.

“Well, they do say I take after my lovely fathe-“

“This here—” His father’s stern voice cut his retort short, sending a look of warning. “—is my son. Kim Jaejoong.” He gestured towards the said man.

Jaejoong shot daggers towards his father. Maybe if he tried hard enough it`ll shred him to bits and pieces.

“Nice to meet you, Kim Jaejoong-ssi.”

The sound of his name distracted him from his brooding as he turned to see Yunho bowing towards him. He responded with an unsure nod, suddenly feeling uncomfortable at the other’s politeness.

“Now, Yunho has been oriented about his job. He is experienced and adept in his field. “

Jaejoong snorted inwardly. His sarcasm noticed only by the man standing beside him.

Experience? Yeah right. The raven haired man thought. This guy looked like he’s just fresh out of boot camp. Now his father is telling him that he’s well ‘experienced’?

In dog walking? In babysitting toddlers?

Jaejoong hid his amusement behind his pale and silky hand.

“He will be with you at all times and will see danger even before it even happens.  He is a trustworthy and responsible man, Jaejoong, so please, try and not get yourself in harm’s way, ok?” Mr. Kim tilted his head, as if implying that Jaejoong is the danger to himself, and not any outside force.

“No, there is no damn way that I’m letting you-“

“Mr. Jung, you can take him home now.” Mr. Kim waived his hand as he leaned back on his arm chair.

“Wha- Take me? Whe- hey!” The infuriated son relayed his anger when he felt someone touch his shoulders. It was Yunho, his so called ‘bodyguard’.

“Let’s go.” The newly assigned bodyguard did not bother looking at Jaejoong as he placed an arm over the shorter man to him out.

“Don’t touch me! I’m not done yet! Hey-“Yunho's simple gesture of escorting turned to dragging when Jaejoong stubbornly refused to leave. Mr. Kim only watched in victory while Mrs. Kim couldn’t help but worry…not for their son though, no, but for Jung Yunho.

Knowing how her son is, she only prayed that Yunho would last longer than a week.

###

The door closed behind them and finally, Jaejoong was able to shake the bodyguard's grip off his arm.

“Yah! Who do you think you are to drag me out like a bag of trash huh? This is my house, so you treat me with respect like you’re supposed to!” Jaejoong bellowed as he looked up at the tall bodyguard, his irate glare wanting nothing but to shred him. How could this nobody drag him out of his father’s office, like he was some unwanted and filthy trespasser?

But to his dismay, the man didn’t flinch or even bothered facing him when he blared right at his ear. Instead, Yunho checked his watch before reaching for his phone, still not minding the scorching man beside him, as if he could not feel the steam emanating from Jaejoong.

“Hey, I’m talking to you! I am ordering you to liste-“

“Kim Jaejoong.” The taller man exhaled before finally turning to face Jaejoong with a stoic face. Jaejoong kept his glare.

Had the honorifics been dropped already? Talk about a two faced .

“Allow me to clarify a few things, sir.” Yunho stepped forward, cutting the distance between them short. The petite man took a slight step back and then feeling stupid that the sudden closeness intimidated him.

“I work for your father. So his words I’ll comply to first.”

Jaejoong’s creased eyebrows twitched as he tried his best to defy the other man’s gaze. Yunho’s voice was low and calm, not blaring or impatient, completely different from how Jaejoong was earlier.

“Of course, it’s also my responsibility to answer to your demands, but my primary responsibility here is to protect you. So if you only need someone to go around and cater to your every whim, I suggest you call a maid.”  The taller man’s lips stretched into a slight smile. “I`m pretty sure your father didn’t hire me to change your diapers or fetch you milk.”

Jaejoong’s lips parted unsurely as it struggled to dig out a retort to the bodyguard’s implied insult, all because of that momentary smirk that seemed so foreign yet so ideal on the man’s face.

This bodyguard’s face be as dull as dishwater, and then something else in a second.

Jaejoong's teeth gritted.

“Damn that old man! Damn you!” The shorter man exclaimed as he sharply tore his glare off Yunho’s and marched off.

“Wait.”

“What?!” he hissed as made an abrupt turn. The suited man walked towards him, his hand out.

“Keys.” Yunho said simply.

“Huh?!” Jaejoong turned to face him fully.

“Car keys, sir. From now on I’m driving.”

Jaejoong bit the inside of his lips, irked at the smugness of the tanned bodyguard in front of him. He reached for the keys in his ripped denim jeans and shoved it to Yunho’s chest before stomping off.

He never felt so irritated his entire life. As much of a hard headed person Jaejoong is, his father was the only one whose stubbornness could compete with him.

Bodyguard? Bull.

He`s just a damned babysitter in a fancy suit.

He reached his car that was parked in front of the mansion. The white Kia Sorento reflected the faint lights coming from the fountain that proudly sat at the center of the driveway. Yunho followed right behind him as they both got in the car.

The engine groaned and cruised its way out.

Jaejoong sighed, coaxing his body to relax in the leather couch. His body slowly settled, but his head still throbbed.

He’d lived a life of freedom and liberation for the past few years since he came back from America, so he couldn’t make out a reason as to why his parents suddenly decided to handcuff him to a suit wearing stone-faced babysitter who would’ve served the world better if he stood eternally alongside the Moais.

The only thing he’s sure of is that there’s something his parents are not telling him. Just like years ago when they suddenly decided to send him to a foreign country.

He massaged the temples of his head as he closed his eyes to momentarily ease the tension forming in between them.

“Ugh. I need a drink.” He mumbled to himself.

“You have classes tomorrow.” Yunho stated matter-of-factly, not taking his eyes off the road.

 Jaejoong turned to Yunho, his mouth and eyes wide in disbelief.

Not even his parents knew about his schedule. They never asked; he never told.

“How’d you-?”

“It is basic protocol to know about the client, sir, and that includes their schedule.” Yunho explained as Jaejoong kept gaping.

“I’ll be in the same class as you. So you don’t have to worry about me being far away or evident.”

Jaejoong didn’t know which was more absurd at what he heard: If it was that this man just claimed that they are going to be classmates— or that Jaejoong would actually worry about him being ‘far away’.

Heck this Yunho-who can go and chill with the penguins at the South Pole and Jaejoong wouldn’t mind.

Send a ing postcard.

“Are you ing kidding me?” the sound of Jaejoong’s exasperation might have even reached outside the confines of the car. “I’m not some kindergartener who needs daddy with him at school!” 

“As your bodyguard, it is my responsibility to keep a look out while remaining unnoticed, sir, and acting as a student is the best option to guard you while maintaining a low profile.” Came Yunho’s calm reply as he maneuvered the car into a gentle turn left. Jaejoong wasn’t buying any of it.

“But the admissions? The exams?! You can`t just walk in and-”

“Everything has been discussed between your father and the establishment.”

Jaejoong pressed his slender fingers unto his temples once again.

Lost.

He freaking lost.

Yunho glanced at the stressed petite man sitting on the passenger’s seat, a tinge of amusement apparent at the corner of his lips.  It went unnoticed by Jaejoong as he began chanting curses under his father’s name.

"As I’ve said sir,” the suited man’s large hands kept firm at the wheel as he gained vision of the tall building ahead that is Jaejoong’s apartment.

“You have nothing to worry about.”

A/N: I am new, please take care of me. *bows*